|  | 1. | I am unsure of which Dental Hygiene Program on the Dental School’s website best applies to me? The Entry-level Dental Hygiene Program is for individuals who are entering the profession of dental hygiene for the first time. The Degree Completion Dental Hygiene Program is for students who already are licensed, Registered Dental Hygienists, completed their clinical dental hygiene education at another college, have a certificate or associate degree in dental hygiene, and who wish to complete their degree to obtain the Bachelor of Science Degree. The Master of Science Degree Program is a graduate program, only applicable to Registered Dental Hygienists who have completed a baccalaureate degree and wish to further their education to obtain a Master of Science Degree. The majority of the remaining “frequently asked questions” pertain to the Entry-level Bachelor of Science Degree Program in Dental Hygiene.
| 2. | What is the length of the Entry-level Dental Hygiene Program at the Dental School, University of Maryland, Baltimore? The Entry-level Dental Hygiene Program is a 2 + 2 program leading to the Bachelor of Science Degree. The first two years of study (typically taken during the freshman and sophomore years of college) called the Phase I Preprofessional Curriculum courses consist of 60 credits of basic science and general education courses that can be completed at any U.S. accredited college or university. These courses must be completed before entering the Phase II Professional Curriculum (junior and senior years of college). | 3. | Does the Dental School offer the Phase I Preprofessional Curriculum courses? No, the Dental School and campus at the University of Maryland, Baltimore offers only the Phase II Professional Curriculum courses. Students complete the Phase I Preprofessional Curriculum at any U.S. accredited college or university first before applying for the Phase II Professional Curriculum. | 4. | I am taking courses at a college in Maryland, how do I know if the courses I have taken are transferable to the University of Maryland, Baltimore? The University System of Maryland Administration maintains the ARTSYS program, which determines transferability of courses and allows for the analysis of the courses taken at the participating college against a Recommended Transfer Program for the entry-level dental hygiene program. ARTSYS is available on the internet at: http://artweb.usmd.edu Each participating (sending) college has a Transfer/Counseling Office that can also assist you in your course selection for the Phase I Preprofessional Curriculum. Contact your individual college for the name(s) of their Transfer Counselor(s).
| 5. | I attended or am attending a college out-of-state or not on the list of participating schools in the Artsys program, how do I know if my courses transfer? You can work with a counselor or advisor at your U.S. accredited college or university and select the courses that match with the course listed for the Phase I Preprofessional Curriculum. | 6. | I attended a foreign college, will any of my courses transfer? You must first have your foreign college transcript evaluated by an educational evaluation service. One suggested service is called: World Education Services, Inc.
P.O. Box 745- Old Chelsea Station
New York, NY 10113-0745
www.wes.org
Tel: (212)966-6311
or 1-800-937-3895
Email: info@wes.org
You must ask for a course-by-course analysis whereby each of your foreign college courses are interpreted into U.S. course names, U.S. letter grades and U.S. semester hours.
Only courses equivalent in U.S. course names, U.S. letter grades and U.S. semester hours from the Phase I Preprofessional Curriculum categories of inorganic chemistry(also known as general chemistry), organic chemistry, basic statistics, social sciences, lower level elective and humanity elective if taken will be considered for transfer from the WES evaluation. At minimum, the remaining Phase I Preprofessional Curriculum courses in General Biology w/lab, Anatomy & Physiology I & II with labs, Microbiology with lab, Principles of Nutrition, English composition, Introduction to Psychology, Introduction to Sociology and Public Speaking must be completed at a U.S. accredited college or university prior to applying to the University of Maryland Dental School for the Phase II Professional Dental Hygiene Curriculum.
| 7. | I am an international student, do I need to take the TOEFL examination? Yes, please see http://www.umaryland.edu/orr/international/admissions.html
for rules and regulations regarding international students.
| 8. | I am a dentist or dental hygienist educated in a foreign college or at another dental or dental hygiene school in the U.S., will any of my previous dental or dental hygiene courses transfer? No, dental courses taken in a foreign college or at another U.S. dental or dental hygiene school are not transferable. The same information in FAQ # 6 applies for foreign dental college graduates. | 9. | I am a dental assistant, will any of my experience or technical training transfer? No, dental assisting experience or dental office work experience is not required for admission and does not transfer in lieu of completing all of the Phase I & II Curriculums. The Dental Assisting Radiology course is not transferable or a replacement for the 2 semesters of Oral Radiology I & II taken in the Phase II Professional Curriculum at the Dental School. | 10. | When can I apply for the Phase II Professional Curriculum? After completing most or the entire Phase I Pre-professional curriculum, beginning November 1, until the deadline for application. You must have completed 16 (preferably 20) of the science credits in the Phase I curriculum by the end of the fall semester prior to your desired entrance into the program. Courses in progress or planned, must be completed no later than the end of the spring semester prior to entry into the Phase II Professional Curriculum. | 11. | How do I find out more information about the Dental Hygiene Profession and careers in Dental Hygiene? Please see The Dental Hygiene Profession section under the “prospective student” and admissions headings section of the University of Maryland Dental School’s website. The American Dental Hygienists’ Association website is also a good resource for students interested in careers in dental hygiene, see section on “Education and Careers”: www.adha.org | 12. | Do you have full-time and part-time Dental Hygiene Programs? Yes, students can be admitted to either the full-time (called the 2-year program) or the part-time (called the 3-year program) program when applying to the Phase II Professional Curriculum. There are more class positions open for full-time 2-year students than part-time 3-year students. The admissions criteria are the same for entering as either a 2-year or 3-year junior. As a full-time (2-year program) student you would begin taking both clinical and didactic courses starting with your first semester and you would be called a clinical junior. For a review of the class schedule for 2-year students please see:
http://www.dental.umaryland.edu/dentalstudent/acadcourses/DH2yr
If you are admitted to the 3-year program, a more flexible schedule exists spreading the Phase II Professional Curriculum over a 3-year schedule. The first year is very part-time in that you would only be taking didactic courses and would be called a non-clinical junior for that first year. During the second year, you would start taking clinical courses in addition to didactic courses and the course schedule becomes more of a full-time schedule. In the third year, you would continue taking clinical and didactic courses and the schedule is very similar to the second year in the two-year program. You have options in your first year to take certain courses that could lighten the course schedule for your third year. For a review of the class schedule for 3-year students please see:
http://www.dental.umaryland.edu/dentalstudent/acadcourses/DH3yr-2005-06 | 13. | What courses are considered humanity and social science electives? Humanity electives can be taken in the categories of literature, education, philosophy, foreign languages, music and art appreciation, fine arts, math, and history. Courses must be academic, non- studio courses. Physical education courses are not transferable.
Social science electives can be taken in the categories of psychology and sociology (other than the required introductory courses), anthropology, political science, economics, African American Studies, Women’s Studies, geography, business management, computer information systems (not keyboarding courses). Introduction to Computers (academic course) is often a General Education Requirement for college freshman and would be an acceptable 3 credit social science elective. The three credit lower level elective requirement has been changed as of 2007 to a technical writing course. Some colleges refer to this course as “writing for the health professional”. This is another writing course which focuses on research and writing. Please refer to your individual college advisors if you have concerns, or contact our Admissions Director at 410-706-7773. | 14. | My college offers a course called General Chemistry, is that an acceptable course for the Inorganic Chemistry requirement in the Phase I Preprofessional Curriculum? Yes, General Chemistry with lab (4 credits) is acceptable for the Inorganic Chemistry requirement. | 15. | My college offers a course called Principles of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry is that an acceptable course for the Organic Chemistry requirement in the Phase I Preprofessional Curriculum? Yes, we will accept 100 and 200 level courses in Organic Chemistry which are often called Principles of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Fundamentals of Organic Chemistry, Organic Chemistry I or II, Essentials of Organic and Biochemistry, or Concepts of Organic and Biochemistry. They must be at least 4 credits with lab. Some colleges may even offer a Health Sciences Chemistry I & II whereby Health Sciences Chemistry I with lab at 4 credits contains inorganic and/or general chemistry content and Health Sciences Chemistry II with lab at 4 credits contains organic and biochemistry content. | 16. | How many students are typically admitted each year and is fall the only semester for which students are admitted? Typically, 30 students are admitted each year. The number of returning part-time 3-year students from the previous year, who will begin their clinical curriculum in their second year of study, determines the number of new students admitted for the current year. More full-time class positions are available each year and usually between 26-30 full-time (2-year) students and 3-5 part-time (3-year) students are admitted each year. Yes, fall is the only semester for which students are admitted. | | 17. | I took some or all of the Phase I Preprofessional Curriculum many years ago, how recently do the courses need to have been taken to be eligible to apply to the Phase II Professional Curriculum? At minimum, Principles of Nutrition and the basic science courses such as General Biology with lab, Anatomy & Physiology I & II with labs, and Microbiology II with lab must have been completed within 5-7 years at the time of application. The non-science courses can be transferred even if they are of greater than seven year vintage.
Students admitted having Nutrition and science courses of 5-7 year vintage are highly encouraged to self-conduct considerable review of their previous Nutrition and basic science coursework in the summer prior to beginning the Entry-level Program. Students must be aware that recall of Nutrition and the basic sciences is critical given the nature of the science-based Oral Biology curriculum and clinical Dental Hygiene coursework in the Phase II Professional Curriculum.
| | 18. | Is there a waiting list for admissions into the Dental Hygiene Program? No, there is not a waiting list for admissions. Admissions into the Dental Hygiene Program is based on competitive criteria each year. Please see the competitive admissions criteria listed on page 2 of the Directions for Applying to the Dental Hygiene Program accompanying the downloadable admissions application found in the Dental Hygiene Program Downloads section of this website. |
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